Tamper-evident indicator for a drug reservoir

Abstract

A drug reservoir comprises of a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the housing is configured to hold a medicament; and a removable feature disposed on at least one of the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the removable feature covers at least in part one of the proximal end and the distal end.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A drug reservoir comprising:
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the housing is configured to hold a medicament; 
 a mechanical coding feature located on either the distal end or the proximal end, wherein the mechanical coding feature is configured to cooperatively engage a complementary corresponding mechanical coding feature located on a given reservoir holder intended for use with the drug reservoir or to cooperatively engage a corresponding mechanical coding feature of a given drug delivery device intended for use with the drug reservoir; 
 i) wherein the coding feature comprises one or more elongated protrusions and the corresponding mechanical coding feature includes one or more elongated indentations to accommodate the one or more elongated protrusions, or 
 ii) wherein the coding feature includes one or more elongated indentations and the corresponding coding feature includes one or more elongated protrusions coded to the one or more elongated indentations of the coding feature, 
 wherein the one or more elongated protrusions and the one or more elongated indentations are provided on an outside surface of the housing extend along a longitudinal direction that extends from the proximal end towards the distal end; and 
 a removable tear-away feature that acts as a tamper-evident feature, and wherein the tamper-evident feature at least partially covers the mechanical coding feature to prevent use of the drug reservoir with a drug delivery device. 
 
     
     
       2. The drug reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises an opening and a septum, wherein the tear-away feature covers the opening and the septum. 
     
     
       3. The drug reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the tear-away feature is a tear-away label or a tear-away strip. 
     
     
       4. The drug reservoir of  claim 1 , wherein the tear-away feature comprises at least one of foil, vinyl, polyester, and acetate. 
     
     
       5. The drug reservoir of  claim 1 , further comprising a colored element, wherein the tear-away feature covers the colored element, and wherein the colored element comprises a color that serves to indicate information about the drug reservoir. 
     
     
       6. The drug reservoir of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastening feature, wherein the tear-away feature is disposed over the fastening feature.